


the high school cliche

by eddiefuckinkaspbrak



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Badass Eddie Kaspbrak, Detention, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, Nerd Richie Tozier, Oblivious, Oblivious Richie Tozier, Track Star Eddie Kaspbrak
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-10
Updated: 2020-02-10
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:14:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22654576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eddiefuckinkaspbrak/pseuds/eddiefuckinkaspbrak
Summary: prompt: Richie (scholar) and Eddie (track star) end up in detention together.(it goes as well as you would expect.)
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 6
Kudos: 195
Collections: Losers Library Fic Collection





	the high school cliche

**Author's Note:**

> written for the losers library! If you haven't already, go check it out!

Even though it was pretty clear that Eddie had a free pass in High School due to his place on the track team, not to mention his countless gold medals from competitions, it didn’t mean that he was a dick to those who were further down on the social scale. He always smiled at Betty Rispsom, and shared his calculus notes with Edward Corcoran. His acts of ‘kindness’ as the other track team members called it, earned him weird looks from the other popular kids at school, but Eddie was a big boy and could walk away from those bothering him.

He liked to think that he was friends, or at least on speaking terms, with almost everyone in the school and in his year. Yes, there were certain people, like Henry Bowers and his gang, that Eddie knew to stay clear of, but other than them he had no real issue with anyone. 

Certainly not with Richie Tozier, even though he couldn’t say the same for Richie himself. 

Richie was probably the smartest student that Derry High had ever had. Ever since he was a kid, his brain was always one step ahead of everyone else and by the time he was in middle school, he could probably take exams meant for college seniors. Eddie could remember when they were freshmen in High School and Richie had been interviewed by specialists from different Ivy League colleges, and was even offered a place, but he turned them down. According to his best friend, Stan, it was because he didn’t want to grow above his means. 

Back before cliques became a thing and Eddie was accepted to the track team, Richie and he used to be friends. Close friends even. Richie’s dad was still best friends with Eddie’s dad, and sometimes Eddie would overhear them discussing why their son’s weren’t friends anymore. Eddie wished that he knew the answer to that one too. Of course, he had asked Richie a few times, but the other boy just shook his head and turned in the other direction. Now, Eddie can’t even say hello without Richie running away from him. 

Eventually, Eddie stopped trying. If Richie wanted to speak to him, then he could approach Eddie. He was done being the one trying. 

About a month after Eddie had made that decision, the worst thing that could possibly happen...happened. Just after fourth period, Eddie was making his way to the lunch hall when he overheard the dulcet tones of Henry Bowers and his gang of fuckwits. He rolled his eyes, planning on walking past them and avoiding any confrontation, when Richie’s voice cut through and Eddie froze in his place. 

“Wait, hold on, just...give me that back.” Eddie rounded the corner and surveyed the scene. Richie was up against one of the lockers, held there by Patrick, and Henry was flicking through what was obviously Richie’s science project book from the stickers plastered all over it. 

Henry pursed his lips, flicking through the book with no interest whatsoever. “I mean, you are a smarty pants, Tozier, shouldn’t you be able to whip up another one of these bad boys in a few hours or so? Or are you not as smart as you make out to me? Have you been lying to everyone this whole time?” He laughed and slowly ripped a page out of the book, letting it float to the floor.

“No! Please!” Richie shook his head as he tried to get out of Patrick’s grip, but the bully was too strong against his gangly form. The sight made Eddie sick to his stomach. “It’s not that easy, I’ve been working on it for months, it’s not easily re-created.”

As Henry rolled his eyes, Eddie decided that it was time to make himself known, before the bully did in fact, ruin all of Richie’s hard work. “Don’t you have anything better to do, Bowers? Like fucking graduate?” It was a low blow, but also no secret that Henry was two years older than his pack of goons, having been held back for two years due to not being able to graduate. “Just fuck off.”

“This is none of your business, Kaspbrak. Just because your dad is the chief of police doesn’t mean I won’t beat your ass.” Henry growled, dropping the book and storming over to Eddie, glaring down at him.

Eddie had to hold back the urge to laugh. Even though he was on the smaller scale height wise, he made up for it with his self defense ability and his unexpected strength. He was also super fast, which was why he was the best track member on the team. “I think you’re confused about me beating your ass Bowers, do you really want a repeat of Halloween Sophomore year?”

Behind them, Victor snorted and Eddie let himself smirk. It was clear that no-one had forgotten about the time Eddie broke Henry’s nose for mouthing off his dad in Sophomore year. Good, he didn’t want anyone to forget that he wasn’t scared of the resident bully. Unfortunately, Henry didn’t seem to share the all round amusement, and raised his fist, swinging it in for a punch, which Eddie dodged with ease. His height did come in handy sometimes. 

“You fucking faggot!” Henry snapped, turning and lunging for Eddie, sending them both barreling backwards onto the tile floor. With the wind knocked out of him, Eddie lost his bearings for a moment, long enough for Henry to get a punch in, but not long enough for anything else. Quickly, Eddie rolled out of the way and as Henry made another move, Eddie raised his knee, hitting Bower’s straight in the groin. The bully fell to the floor, groaning and Eddie got to his feet, brushing himself off.

“Next time pick on someone your own size,” Eddie snapped, reaching down to pick up RIchie’s discarded project book, handing it back to him with a smile. “Here. Sorry about them, they are assholes.”

Richie snatched the book from him, holding it close and pushing his glasses back up his face. “I had it under control, you didn’t need to step in like some hero.” He rolled his eyes. “You just made things so much worse, they’re going to actively seek me out now because of you.”

“Richie I was just- I just wanted to help…” Eddie stammered, losing his confidence just a little. It was always the same when he was around Richie, ever since they were fifteen. Even though they weren’t as close, or even friends at all, it didn’t just mean that the feelings Eddie felt for him would disappear like magic. They were still there, sitting under the surface with every accidental eye-lock or brush of shoulders in the hallways. 

“I didn’t need your help!” Richie snapped and was just about to walk away when a teacher rounded the corner. Bowers was still on the ground, clutching his groin like a five year old and his cronies were nowhere to be seen. Eddie looked up, hoping it would be his Coach, or another teacher that he got on well with, but it seemed that his luck had run out. It was Mr Black, the strict and intolerable English Teacher who seemed to have it out for every student at Derry High. 

He stormed over to the three of them, his arms crossed and eyes dark. “What is going on here? As Seniors, you should all be aware of the ‘No Fighting’ rule. Especially in the hallways.” Mr Black’s voice was cold and harsh, but Eddie still attempted to explain. “I don’t want to hear it. All three of you, detention after school.” With that, he walked off, muttering under his breath.

“See what you did?” Richie groaned, running a hand through his hair. “Detention! I’ve never had detention before in my life!” He shook his head and without another word, disappeared down the hall, leaving Eddie alone by the lockers. 

For the rest of the day, Eddie wondered how he was going to get through the hour of after school detention with Bowers and Richie, both who were not on his side at that moment. Before lunch period ended, Eddie sent a quick message to his dad, explaining what had gone on and why he would be home late. Of course, he was disappointed that Eddie had gotten into a fight, but proud that he was standing up for himself and his friends. 

_ Never let anyone push you around. They hit you? Hit them back. _

When the final bell of the day rang, Eddie packed up his bag and made his way to Mr Black’s classroom. When he arrived, Richie was already there, head down and scribbling in a book and Henry was nowhere to be seen. “Take a seat Mr Kaspbrak. It will just be you and Mr Tozier this afternoon, as Mr Bowers is serving his detention with another teacher.” Mr Black grunted before making his way to the door. “I have a teacher meeting, but you both better still be here when I get back or there will be more time added and I know you both don’t want that.”

As soon as Mr Black was gone, Eddie slumped into a seat and pulled out a few of his books. He might as well get some studying in, since he couldn’t practice in detention. However, the need to talk to Richie, to finally get some answers was eating away at him and becoming unbearable to ignore. He slammed his book closed and out of the corner of his eye, Richie jumped a little.

“Richie, please can we talk like adults? I can’t take this anymore!” Eddie made his way over to Richie and pulled up a chair so the was facing him on the other side of the desk. “You can’t run away from me here, and Mr Black won’t be back until four so we have time to talk. Please? I just want to talk.”

Richie looked at Eddie, his eyes wide behind his glasses, “What is there to talk about Eddie? You’re you and I’m me. That’s all there is to it. Just because our dads are friends, doesn’t mean we need to be too.”

That took Eddie by surprise and he blinked a few times, “Richie- what are you talking about? You don’t really think I only want to be friends with you because our dads are friends do you? Even if our dads weren’t friends, I’d still want to be friends with you. You’re pretty amazing.” As those words left his lips, a blush rose up on Eddie’s cheeks and he bit his lip. “I mean, you’re cool and all.”

“But- you’re a jock and I’m a nerd. You shouldn’t want to be my friend. That’s not how High School works,” Richie shook his head and Eddie barked out a laugh. He had clearly been watching too many teen romantic comedies in his spare time. “Why are you laughing? What’s so funny?”

Eddie smiled, a smile that was reserved only for the people in his life that he really cared about and trusted. “You are. Richie- since when have I ever cared about the social norms of High School? I’m not on the track team because I want to be popular and have lots of friends. I'm on the track team because I like to run. I enjoy the sport. I also know that you aren’t a ‘nerd’ by choice, you are just exceptionally smart and absolutely brilliant!” He shook his head again. “Is that why you stopped talking to me? Because you thought it would bring my popularity status down?”

Now it was Richie’s time to flush and he let out a groan, “I’m an idiot aren’t I?” He asked and Eddie nodded his head just a little. “Though...that wasn’t the only reason I was ignoring you and cut you off back in freshman year.” Richie was looking away at this point, which only stemmed Eddie’s curiosity. 

“What?”

“I- may or may not have had a little crush on you when I was younger, and I didn’t want it to ruin anything if I told you. It became harder to be around you though because those feelings never really...went away?” Richie explained and Eddie’s jaw dropped open a little. “Have I said too much?”

Eddie shook his head faster, “No- fuck...no. Richie...the reason why I never stopped trying to be your friend for so long was because I felt the same and I didn’t want you to not be in my life, even if it was just as a friend.” He was grinning now, from ear to ear and he reached out to cover a hand over Richie’s. 

“Holy shit,” Richie laughed. “We really are a pair of angsty teenage idiots, aren’t we?” He asked and Eddie nodded, his own laugh bubbling past his lips. “What- what happens now?”

At that, Eddie ginned, “Well, if you don’t mind. I would love to take you out on a date. If that’s something you would like to do? With me?” God, Eddie was bad at this. 

Richie grinned and turned his wrist so their palms were touching and he leaned closer. “Absolutely.”


End file.
